Fifteen years after the original “Zoolander” became a cult classic, Ben Stiller is back as dim-witted male model Derek Zoolander in a new, equally ridiculous adventure. While it never quite achieves the iconic status of the original, “Zoolander 2” is good for a few laughs and should please fans of the first film.
After living in isolation for 15 years, Derek Zoolander is recruited by Agent Valentina Valencia (Penelope Cruz) to help find the culprit behind the murder of several pop stars. Aided by fellow model Hansel (Owen Wilson), Zoolander must uncover the sinister plot and save the fashion world, all while trying to reconnect with his estranged son.
The humor of the first “Zoolander” was brilliant in part because it parodied the fashion industry, a theme which continues to some degree in “Zoolander 2.” While “Zoolander 2” isn’t quite as clever about it, the movie definitely succeeds in mocking the millennial, hipster culture that has taken over fashion today. This is exemplified Don Atari (Kyle Mooney), an up-and-coming fashion designer who serves as a caricature of the hipster phenomenon. Atari works out of a repurposed toxic waste plant and mocks Zoolander and Hansel for being old and lame.
“Zoolander 2” unfortunately relies too heavily on celebrity cameos for laughs, and ultimately, it just feels lazy. When used sparingly, celebrity cameos can be brilliant, but “Zoolander 2” sacrifices plot in favor of a string of random celebrity appearances that don’t really go anywhere. To be fair though, the opening sequence when Justin Bieber is chased and killed by assassins is easily one of the film’s best moments.
Stiller and Wilson are both solid in their roles as out-of-touch models, although not everyone in the cast provides equally good performances. Kristen Wiig is unusually bad as bizarre fashion director Alexanya Atov. Wiig tries her best to stand out, but her character’s outlandish costumes and accent are more cringe-worthy than funny. Her performance especially pales in comparison to that of Will Ferrell, returning as the evil Mugatu, providing some of the funniest moments in the film.
Like its predecessor, “Zoolander 2” has a unique sense of humor that won’t appeal to everybody. The plot is absurd and the characters are over-the-top, but that is part of its charm and shouldn’t be taken too seriously. “Zoolander 2” is definitely not groundbreaking but it provides a good distraction and plenty of laughs.
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